By Albert Oppong-Ansah, GNA
Accra, Sept. 7, GNA – Six Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Greater Accra Region have begun a pilot project to promote waste segregation, organic waste recovery and clean-air practices among students.
The project; “Schools for Clean Air and Waste Segregation (CAWS)” seeks to develop a practical and sustainable model that could be replicated in other schools.
Participating senior high schools are Achimota, Accra Academy, St. Mary’s, St. John’s Grammar, Wesley Grammar, and Westfield Bridge College.
Mr Desmond Appiah, the Country Lead of Clean Air Fund, speaking at the launch, which coincided with the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, said the decision to pilot the initiative in senior high schools was informed by the need to address a gap in environmental interventions targeting young people at the secondary level.
He noted that the project was designed to test practical approaches that could subsequently be scaled up to more schools and other locations.
“We want to have a model that can be scaled other places and other schools. this is why the collaboration GES and the schools is crucial,” he said.
The Country Lead said open burning of waste remained a concern in some schools, exposing students and surrounding communities to air pollution.
Mr Appiah said teaching students to segregate waste and understand air-quality issues would help establish environmental habits that they could carry into adulthood, homes and communities.
Madam Alice Tuoho, the Executive Director of Impact Footprints Africa (IFA), said the project was based on the belief that sustainable development was built through practical everyday habits.
She said IFA would work with school management, teachers and students to establish lasting systems for waste segregation and organic waste recovery while using environmental education to empower students to become agents of change.
“We believe students are the true custodians of this project and the habits they build today will be able to drive the future we all look for in terms of maintaining a clean and sustainable environment,” she said.
Madam Theresah Oppong-Mensah, the National Coordinator of the School Health Education Programme, Ghana Education Service (GES), welcomed the pilot and said it complemented existing efforts by the Service to promote climate-smart school environments.
She noted that the Schools for Clean Air and Waste Segregation Project would, therefore, complement ongoing GES efforts to promote sustainable waste management and healthier school environments.
The GES representative assured the organisers that the Service was ready to support the participating schools to own and sustain the initiative.
She urged heads of schools and teachers to ensure that waste segregation and environmental responsibility became part of everyday school life rather than activities undertaken only during special environmental events.
She also encouraged the pilot schools to document their experiences and innovations to enable successful approaches to be replicated in other schools.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Albert Oppong-Ansah
Email: [email protected]